Monday, January 31, 2011

College hoops Top 25 - Top 100 College Football Recruits - Buckeyes Football Recruits Commits

Top 100 College Football Recruits

RANK PLAYER POS. HEIGHT WEIGHT RATING SCHOOL
1 Jadeveon Clowney
Rock Hill, SC
South Pointe DE 6-5 255 Undecided
2 Cyrus Kouandjio
Hyattsville, Md.
DeMatha Catholic OT 6-7 315 Undecided
3 La'El Collins
Baton Rouge, La.
Redemptorist OT 6-5 306
4 Tim Jernigan
Lake City, Fla.
Columbia DT 6-3 280 Undecided
5 De'Anthony Thomas
Los Angeles, Calif.
Crenshaw AP 5-9 160
6 Aaron Lynch
Cape Coral, Fla.
Island Coast DE 6-6 245
7 Karlos Williams
Davenport, Fla.
Ridge Community S 6-2 210
8 Anthony Johnson
New Orleans, La.
O Perry Walker DT 6-3 294
9 Sammy Watkins
Fort Myers, Fla.
South Fort Myers WR 6-1 180
10 Stephone Anthony
Wadesboro, NC
Anson LB 6-3 220 Undecided
11 George Farmer
Gardena, Calif.
Junipero Serra WR 6-2 200
12 Tony Steward
Saint Augustine, Fla.
Pedro Menendez LB 6-2 220 Undecided
13 Jeff Driskel
Oviedo, Fla.
Hagerty QB 6-4 225
14 Isaiah Crowell
Columbus, Ga.
Carver RB 5-11 190 Undecided
15 Steve Edmond
Daingerfield, Texas
Daingerfield LB 6-3 235
16 Nick O'Leary
Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
Dwyer TE 6-4 230
17 Jarvis Landry
Lutcher, La.
Lutcher WR 5-11 194
18 Brandon Williams
Brookshire, Texas
Royal RB 6-1 196
19 Hasean Clinton-Dix
Orlando, Fla.
Dr. Phillips S 6-2 185
20 Braxton Miller
Dayton, Ohio
Wayne QB 6-2 185
21 Trey Metoyer
Whitehouse, Texas
Whitehouse WR 6-2 200
22 Sedrick Flowers
Houston
North Shore OG 6-3 290
23 Trey DePriest
Springfield, Ohio
Springfield LB 6-2 230
24 Malcolm Brown
Schertz, Texas
Byron P Steele RB 6-1 224
25 Anthony Chickillo
Tampa, Fla.
Alonso DE 6-4 230
26 Christian Westerman
Chandler, Ariz.
Hamilton OT 6-5 288
27 James Wilder
Tampa, Fla.
Plant LB 6-2 220
28 Lawrence Thomas
Detroit, Mich.
Renaissance LB 6-4 244
29 Savon Huggins
Jersey City, NJ
St. Peters Prep RB 6-0 190
30 Jaxon Shipley
Brownwood, Texas
Brownwood WR 6-1 183
31 Travis Hughes
Virginia Beach, Va.
Kempsville LB 6-0 222
32 Devon Blackmon
Fontana, Calif.
Summit ATH 6-0 175
33 Greg Townsend Jr.
Beverly Hills, Calif.
Beverly Hills DE 6-4 255
34 C.J. Johnson
Philadelphia, Miss.
Philadelphia LB 6-3 220
35 Nickolas Brassell
Batesville, Miss.
South Panola WR 6-0 169 Undecided
36 Malcolm Mitchell
Valdosta, Ga.
Valdosta ATH 6-1 183
37 DeAnthony Arnett
Saginaw, Mich.
Saginaw WR 5-11 184
38 Stephon Tuitt
Monroe, Ga.
Monroe DE 6-5 260
39 Demetrious Nicholson
Virginia Beach, Va.
Bayside CB 5-10 167
40 Angelo Mangiro
Succasunna, NJ
Roxbury G 6-3 290
41 Ray Drew
Thomasville, Ga.
Thomas County Central DE 6-5 250
42 A.C. Leonard
Jacksonville, Fla.
University Christian TE 6-3 240
43 Curtis Grant
Richmond, Va.
Hermitage LB 6-3 222 Undecided
44 Nick Waisome
Groveland, Fla.
South Lake CB 5-10 170
45 Ishaq Williams
Brooklyn, NY
Abraham Lincoln LB 6-5 220
46 Donte Moncrief
Raleigh, Miss.
Raleigh WR 6-3 208
47 Jay Rome
Valdosta, Ga.
Valdosta TE 6-6 240
48 Quandre Diggs
Angleton, Texas
Angleton ATH 5-9 198
49 Brennan Scarlett
Portland, Ore.
Central Catholic DE 6-5 255
50 Charone Peake
Roebuck, SC
Dorman WR 6-4 205
51 Colt Lyerla
Hillsboro, Ore.
Hillsboro ATH 6-4 220
52 Devonta Freeman
Miami, Fla.
Miami Central RB 5-9 197
53 Reese Dismukes
Spanish Fort, Ala.
Spanish Fort C 6-3 272
54 Melvin Gordon
Kenosha, Wisc.
Bradford RB 6-0 190
55 Odell Beckham Jr.
New Orleans, La.
Isidore Newman WR 6-0 180
56 Clifton Richardson
Newport News, Va.
Menchville RB 6-1 220
57 Marvin Shinn
Mobile, Ala.
Vigor WR 6-3 177
58 Jermauria Rasco
Shreveport, La.
Evangel Christian Academy DE 6-3 247 Undecided
59 Marqise Lee
Gardena, Calif.
Junipero Serra ATH 6-0 190 Undecided
60 Kelsey Young
Norco, Calif.
Norco RB 5-10 190
61 Xzavier Dickson
Griffin, Ga.
Griffin DE 6-4 240
62 Michael Bennett
Dayton, Ohio
Centerville DT 6-3 275
63 DaVaris Daniels
Vernon Hills, Ill.
Vernon Hills WR 6-2 190
64 Damian Swann
Atlanta, Ga.
Grady CB 6-0 175
65 Amir Carlisle
Sunnyvale, Calif.
The King's Academy AP 5-11 190
66 Ben Koyack
Oil City, Pa.
Oil City TE 6-5 240
67 Doran Grant
Akron, Ohio
St Vincent-St Mary CB 5-10 171
68 Jordan Phillips
Towanda, Kan.
Circle OT 6-5 298
69 Dee Hart
Orlando, Fla.
Dr. Phillips AP 5-8 190
70 Jordan Prestwood
Plant City, Fla.
Plant City OT 6-7 285
71 Viliami Moala
Sacramento, Calif.
Grant Union DT 6-2 320
72 Mike Bellamy
Punta Gorda, Fla.
Charlotte AP 5-10 180
73 David Jenkins
Carrollton, Texas
Hebron CB 6-1 175
74 Austin Seferian-Jenkins
Gig Harbor, Wash.
Gig Harbor TE 6-7 265
75 Mitch Smothers
Springdale, Ariz.
Springdale G 6-4 291
76 Quan Bray
Lagrange, Ga.
Troup County ATH 5-11 178
77 Josh Turner
Oklahoma City, Okla.
Millwood CB 6-0 175
78 Brandon Shell
Goose Creek, SC
Goose Creek OT 6-7 305
79 Desmond Jackson
Houston, Texas
Westfield DT 6-1 273
80 Jamal Turner
Arlington, Texas
Sam Houston QB 6-1 180
81 D.J. Pettway
Pensacola, Fla.
Pensacola Catholic DE 6-3 260
82 Christian Heyward
San Diego, Calif.
Point Loma DT 6-2 270 Undecided
83 Matt Hegarty
Aztec, NM
Aztec OT 6-5 260
84 Kris Frost
Matthews, NC
Butler LB 6-2 214
85 Floyd Raven
Reserve, La.
East St. John CB 6-2 185
86 Aaron Green
San Antonio, Texas
Madison RB 5-11 190
87 Steve Miller
Canton, Ohio
McKinley DE 6-5 218
88 Jonathan Rose
Leeds, Ala.
Leeds CB 6-2 195
89 Kelvin Benjamin
Belle Glade, Fla.
Glades Central WR 6-6 217
90 Brent Calloway
Russellville, Ala.
Russellville LB 6-1 210
91 Sheroid Evans
Sugar Land, Texas
Dulles S 6-0 185
92 Christian LeMay
Matthews, NC
Butler QB 6-2 188
93 Kasen Williams
Sammamish, Wash.
Skyline WR 6-2 200
94 Mykkele Thompson
San Antonio, Texas
Stevens ATH 6-2 183
95 Andre Yruretagoyena
Paradise Valley, Ariz.
Chaparral OT 6-5 265
96 Kenny Hayes
Toledo, Ohio
Whitmer DE
Asheville, NC
A C Reynolds LB 6-5 220
98 Derrick Mitchell
Jacksonville, Fla.
First Coast DT 6-6 285
99 Jacoby Brissett
Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
Dwyer QB 6-5 230 Undecided
100 Kiaro Holts
Indianapolis, Ind.
Warren Central OT 6-6 275





▾>
2011 ▾
Commits ▾
2011 Ohio State Football Commits

Name Pos Ht/Wt Location Interest Rating Team
Braxton Miller DUAL 6-2/185 Dayton, OH
Wayne Committed
(6/3/2010) 598
Michael Bennett DT 6-3/275 Dayton, OH
Centerville Committed
(5/16/2010) 495
Doran Grant CB 5-10/171 Akron, OH
St Vincent-St Mary Committed
(1/5/2011) 495
Kenny Hayes SDE 6-4/245 Toledo, OH
Whitmer Committed
(8/31/2009) 495
Steve Miller WDE 6-5/218 Canton, OH
McKinley Committed
(10/29/2009) 495
Ryan Shazier OLB 6-1/204 Fort Lauderdale, FL
Plantation Committed
(12/21/2010) 494
Nick Vannett TE 6-6/240 Westerville, OH
Westerville Central Committed
(6/30/2010) 493
Chase Farris SDE 6-6/265 Elyria, OH
Elyria Committed
(3/17/2010) 492
Joel Hale DT 6-4/250 Greenwood, IN
Center Grove Committed
(6/7/2010) 491
Evan Spencer WR 6-1/185 Vernon Hills, IL
Vernon Hills Committed
(6/5/2010) 491
Brian Bobek C 6-3/278 Palatine, IL
Fremd Committed
(3/16/2010) 490
DerJuan Gambrell S 6-2/180 Toledo, OH
Rogers Committed
(3/16/2010) 490
Conner Crowell ILB 6-1/220 Waldorf, MD
North Point Committed
(11/5/2010) 388
Jeff Heuerman TE 6-5/225 Naples, FL
Barron Collier Committed
(4/26/2010) 388
Devin Smith WR 6-2/175 Massillon, OH
Washington Committed
(6/17/2010) 388
Ron Tanner S 6-1/190 Columbus, OH
Eastmoor Academy Committed
(7/2/2010) 388
Antonio Underwood OG 6-3/292 Cleveland, OH
Shaker Heights Committed
(3/15/2010) 388
Chris Carter OG 6-4/340 Cleveland, OH
John F Kennedy Committed
(3/15/2010) 387
Jeremy Cash S 6-0/185 Fort Lauderdale, FL
Plantation Committed
(4/18/2010) 387
Tommy Brown OG 6-5/300 Akron, OH
Firestone Committed
(4/3/2010) 386
Bryce Haynes LS 6-4/185 Cumming, GA
Pinecrest Academy Inc Committed
(1/28/2011) 270
Ejuan Price OLB 6-0/235 Pittsburgh, PA
Woodland Hills Committed
(1/18/2011)



College Hoops Top 25 February 2011


Rank Team Record Pts Pvs
1. Ohio St. (65) 22-0 1,625 1
2. Kansas 20-1 1,519 6
3. Texas 18-3 1,500 7
4. Pittsburgh 20-2 1,433 2
5. Duke 19-2 1,284 3
6. Connecticut 17-3 1,275 5
7. San Diego St. 21-1 1,218 4
8. BYU 20-2 1,159 9
9. Notre Dame 17-4 1,116 15
10. Kentucky 16-4 1,037 14
11. Purdue 18-4 922 12
12. Villanova 17-4 860 8
13. Georgetown 16-5 806 21
14. Missouri 17-4 790 11
15. Louisville 17-4 740 23
16. Texas A&M 17-3 660 13
17. Syracuse 18-4 598 9
18. Minnesota 16-5 487 16
19. Wisconsin 15-5 387 17
20. Washington 15-5 384 18
21. Arizona 18-4 358 --
22. Utah St. 20-2 176 --
23. North Carolina 15-5 124 --
23. Vanderbilt 15-5 124 19
25. West Virginia 14-6 109 --

Friday, January 28, 2011

Tiger is at -3 - NBA All-Star Starters - Buckeyes Aaron Craft Wasn't Even Ranked Among the Other Top PG's -

All-Star Starters


East
Guard Dwyane Wade Heat
Guard Derrick Rose Bulls
Forward LeBron James Heat
Forward Amare Stoudemire Knicks
Center Dwight Howard Magic
West
Guard Kobe Bryant Lakers
Guard Chris Paul Hornets
Forward Carmelo Anthony Nuggets
Forward Kevin Durant Thunder
Center Yao Ming Rockets


Buckeyes sit atop the college hoops power rankings. Check out all of the recruits ranked ahead of Aaron Craft.


1 Ohio State Buckeyes (21-0)
Buckeyes freshman Aaron Craft was hardly an unknown recruit -- he was 111th in Rivals.com's Class of 2010 rankings, and he was good enough for Bruce Pearl to risk taking a photo with him at an NCAA-rules-violating barbecue -- but a ton of point guards were rated ahead of him. It's reasonable to say that Craft has performed as well as (or better) than the point guards who appeared in the RSCI top 50 not named Kyrie Irving, while playing a prominent role on the nation's No. 1 team:

RSCI Player Team %Mins %Poss ORating A/T
2 Kyrie Irving Duke 72.1 25.1 130.1 1.9
4 Brandon Knight Kentucky 86.9 25.3 111.0 1.1
6 Josh Selby Kansas 36.3 24.4 98.5 1.0
13 Cory Joseph Texas 79.2 17.2 114.3 1.9
16 Joe Jackson Memphis 60.3 28.0 91.4 1.2
22 Ryan Harrow NC State 59.0 25.3 110.3 2.3
22 Ray McCallum Detroit 82.3 23.0 110.6 1.8
25 Kendall Marshall UNC 40.4 18.2 104.6 2.6
35 Ian Miller Florida St. 37.5 20.4 78.5 0.4
41 Phil Pressey Missouri 38.6 20.1 100.2 1.9
48 Vander Blue Marquette 58.9 19.4 100.5 1.4
N/R Aaron Craft Ohio St. 70.1 16.3 109.4 2.1

Additionally, the stats above don't convey Craft's defensive impact, which has been huge. He's third in the Big Ten in steal percentage (3.6) and in the Buckeyes' biggest road test to date, at Illinois on Jan. 22, he badgered Demetri McCamey into a 2-of-11, five-point nightmare that was by far his worst game of the season. Freshman Jared Sullinger is the Buckeyes' clear player of the year candidate, but Craft has filled just as big of a need in their rotation -- and been so effective that he's getting a free pass for his falsetto abomination of Party in the USA.

Next Three: 1/29 at Northwestern, 2/3 vs. Michigan, 2/6 at Minnesota





Round One of Farmers Insurance PGA Tour
Tiger is at -3. 5 shots back.
1
Sunghoon Kang NC
-8

T2
Alex Prugh NC
-7

T2
Rickie Fowler NC
-7

4
Chris Kirk NC
-6


T5
John Daly SC
-5

T5
Brandt Jobe NC
-5


T5
Bill Haas NC
-5

T5
Keegan Bradley NC
-5

T5
Fabian Gomez SC
-5

T5
Ryuji Imada NC
-5


T5
Fredrik Jacobson NC
-5

T5
Y.E. Yang NC
-5

T5
Phil Mickelson SC
-5

T5
Marc Leishman NC
-5

T15
Anthony Kim NC
-4

T15
Matt Jones SC
-4


T15
Ben Martin NC
-4


T15
Paul Stankowski SC
-4

T15
Rory Sabbatini NC
-4

T15
David Mathis NC
-4

T15
Kyle Stanley NC
-4

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Tiger Woods Comeback - TV Schedule

Tiger tees off at 9:00 am



Tiger Woods Comeback Begins Today
Some guy dressed up as Tiger Woods in Southern California last month — the bright-red shirt, the black slacks, the Nike swooshes. As if he could become The Man with 71 Tour wins, 14 majors, by dint of color combining. It was cute, and reminded us of a bygone era, 2000-'09.

"Tiger Woods," whoever he was, was hitting fairways and greens, sweeping in putts at the Chevron Challenge at Sherwood Country Club, near L.A., giving an Oscar-worthy performance for three days. What exposed him as a fraud in the end was that he coughed up a four-stroke Sunday lead and lost to Graeme McDowell in sudden death.

Nice try, pro.

Everyone knows the real Woods would never have done that. He's 11-1 in playoffs. The last playoff he lost in an official PGA Tour event was in 1998, to Billy Mayfair at Riviera, in the Clinton era.

We hear reports that the real Tiger is out there, maybe grooving his new swing under the eyes of his new coach, Sean Foley, maybe working by himself. Woods is expected to continue using a new putter, the Nike Method, after achieving immortality with his old Scotty Cameron. He is newly single, knocking around his remodeled estate on Florida's Intracoastal Waterway, and it's an open secret that he will show up for this week's Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines with a new bag sponsor, the first sponsor to come to him, instead of run away, in about a year.

Like we did last year, we still hold out hope for his return, this time at San Diego's famous seaside muni. Woods has won there seven times as a pro, including the 2008 U.S. Open. When all eyes focus on Tiger Woods as he places his Nike atop a tee Thursday, will it really be him?

And what about the history, the legacy? What about his long-stated goal of reaching the 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus, and then going beyond into uncharted territory?

Maybe the beginning of the end for Woods came well before the Great Unraveling of his image, when he gave up a two-stroke lead to Y.E. Yang on Sunday at the 2009 PGA.

Or maybe Woods still has one big burst of magic left to show to the world. If you're into excellence, you hope for it.

Jack has never wavered in his belief that Tiger would break the record, but even he has to be wondering now. Tiger's been stuck at 14 majors for 30 months. Because of his left knee, which has been sliced open four times, and his personal crisis, which no amount of triage could salve, he has played one full season in three years.

"Pebble Beach and St. Andrews [are] important golf courses for him," Nicklaus told the AP last June. "He basically won on those fairly easily through the years. If he has problems with those golf courses, sure, they won't come around for a while. Maybe it might be tougher."

Well, he had problems. Now, this week, he's back in San Diego, which has been such a safe haven for Woods that it ought to be renamed the Tiger's Insurance Open. He hasn't played there since beating Rocco Mediate in 19 extra holes at the '08 Open, missing the '09 Buick Invitational because he was resting his left knee, post-op, and then — well, you know.

As the Farmers took flight last year, Woods was in hiding. Strip clubs hired airplanes to trail tacky banners (We miss you Tiger! Deja Vu Showgirls), and there were "Tiger" sightings all over the place. He was hitting golf balls in the dark at Bay Hill. He was at the mansion of a friend in Long Island, N.Y., or in Sweden, or at sea, or in plastic surgery. It was as if he'd switched publicists from IMG to David Blaine.

When Woods finally reappeared, in front of those blue curtains at the TPC McClubhouse in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., he looked different. He was chastened, apologizing, flawed. And when he finally returned to golf, at the Masters in April, he looked different again. He wore dark glasses. He fatted a shot with a wood. But he was our Tiger. Asked on camera about his respectable tie for fourth, he gave the usual terse reply that he'd still lost.

Yep, it was Woods.

Or was it? Maybe it was just the opening act from the same imposter we saw giving it up to McDowell, the same guy who went the entire 2010 season without winning a major or any tournament at all. This is what we remember from 2010 — the dissonance of such absolute stink emanating from an absolute master, as if Martin Scorsese had given us Piranha 3D. How could this happen?

"Tiger Woods" shot 74-79 to miss the cut at the Wells Fargo, and he tied for 78th place, 30 strokes behind winner Hunter Mahan, at the WGC-Bridgestone at Firestone, where he'd won seven times. It was the worst Tiger impersonation since that guy on SNL with the golf club around his head.

And yet he teased us more than once, and we thought that maybe it was really him, that maybe he'd returned. There was the day he shot 66 in the third round of the U.S. Open, and the first-round 65 he fired at the Barclays after we'd learned that the real Tiger's divorce had become official. There was the Ryder Cup beat-down of Francesco Molinari, as compelling a portrait of Tiger Woods as any. The guy went nine under in 12 holes, the best Tiger we'd seen since '09, when he won six times, copped his second FedEx Cup trophy and was Player of the Year for the 10th time.

Where has that Tiger gone? And will he ever return?

The tabloid feeding frenzy is over. Tiger's prodigious appetites no longer shock and awe, or interest us much at all, really. What a difference a year makes. He's 35, the clock is ticking on his golfing legacy, and as we await the biggest second act since Hogan's, there's only one thing on our minds.

Will the real Tiger Woods please stand up?


Thursday and Friday from 3 to 6 this will be on golf channel
Saturday and Sunday will be on CBS from 3 to 6
Thu Jan 27 Opening Round - Play Begins 8:30 a.m. GOLF 12-3 p.m.
Fri Jan 28 Second Round - Play Begins 8:30 a.m. GOLF 12-3 p.m
Sat Jan 29
Third Round - Play Begins 8:30 a.m.
CBS 12-3 p.m.
Sun Jan 30
FINAL Round - Play Begins 8:30 a.m.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

NASCAR to go with New Point System - OSU Destroys Purdue

NASCAR Will go with New Point System

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- NASCAR has thrown out the points system used since 1975 in favor of a straight scoring format based on finishing position.
NASCAR chairman Brian France made the change official Wednesday night. It will give 43 points to the race winner and decrease through the field down to 1 point for the 43rd-place finisher.
The race winner will receive three bonus points. Each driver who leads a lap will receive one bonus point, and the driver who leads the most laps will receive an additional bonus point.
Also, the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship field will be filled by the top 10 drivers in points after the 26th race of the season. The final two spots will go to race winners not already eligible.




Buckeyes are the #1 Team in the Country, Just ask Purdue

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The intent was to pose the question delicately, to gently ask Aaron Craft whether or not he wondered if people thought Ohio State assumed the No. 1 ranking rather than ascended to it.

Instead, Craft cut away the pretense and the politeness. “Yeah, like we’re there by default,’’ he said.

Well yeah, like that.

“There are always going to be people who doubts whoever is at the top,’’ the OSU freshman said. “We don’t really worry about that. We can’t change what people think.’’

Actually, maybe Ohio State can.

And did.

The Buckeyes’ 87-64 thumping/throttling/thrashing -- pick your painful verb of choice -- of Purdue should at least cause the critics to pause. This was a demolition derby destruction of what many people considered the second-best team in the Big Ten, a team that came to Columbus with just one conference loss and a No. 12 ranking.

And the Bucks treated the Boilermakers like an exhibition game opponent.

While the rest of the country sputtered and spurted its way through the past few days -- down goes Kansas, Syracuse swoons to its third loss in a row, Pitt loses at home -- Ohio State counter-punched with its best effort of the season.

[+] Enlarge
Greg Bartram/US PRESSWIRE
E'Twaun Moore and Purdue couldn't keep up with the balanced scoring of David Lighty and No. 1 Ohio State. Six Buckeyes scored in double figures.
Maybe its best game in years.

After feasting on the weaker half of the Big Ten, the Buckeyes now are starting to chomp away at the upper echelon and the wins have become more, not less, impressive. The comeback against Illinois on the road showed this team’s tenacity and the overpowering win here showed its might.

And whether they were trying to send a message or not, consecutive win No. 21 was a resounding statement to the critics who didn’t believe the Buckeyes really had the stuff of a No. 1.

“We gave a loaded answer to those questions,’’ said OSU freshman Jared Sullinger, who had 17 points and seven rebounds in 27 minutes.

The players and Thad Matta waxed eloquent about the double effort the Buckeyes gave, a smothering effort on the defensive end and an equally overwhelming job on the offensive side.

No question, they were right.

The Boilermakers looked almost tentative in the face of Ohio State’s swarm, wheezing themselves into a 22-9 hole early. The Bucks all but conceded that JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore would get theirs -- and they did, Johnson with 22 and Moore with 16 -- but after that?

Nothing.

The rest of the Boilers shot 11-of-33.

And using that defense to spur the offense, the Buckeyes blistered a Purdue team that routinely hangs its hat on defense.

The Boilermakers came in ranked 12th in the nation in scoring defense, allowing only 59.4 points a game. Ohio State hung 87 on them, the most points a Purdue team has given up in nearly two years, dating back to an 87-78 loss to Michigan on Feb. 26, 2009.

“We were all about defense in this game,’’ Sullinger said. “As long as we defend, we can be a very special team.’’

But perhaps the most telling number was this one: six. That’s how many Ohio State players finished in double-figures. Fairly or unfairly, these Buckeyes have been regarded as Jared Sullinger and his Backup Singers. The fabulous freshman has earned every bit of the attention he’s been granted, but the big boy’s big numbers have cast a shadow over his teammates.

In theory, you stop Sullinger and you can stop the Buckeyes.

And you can now put that theory right next to that flat Earth notion.

To start the game, Purdue doubled Sullinger every time he touched the ball, with Travis Carroll taking Sullinger on in the post and Johnson sliding down to help.

Except along with being a load under the basket, Sullinger is also a deft passer -- “He’s wise behind his years the way he can pass,’’ David Lighty said -- and he’s perfectly content to be unselfish.

So every time, Sullinger merely kicked the ball out and almost every time, his wide-open shooters sunk their wide-open 3-point shots. Ohio State hit 5 of 6 from behind the arc out of the gate and finished 11-of-19 for the game. (It got so silly that even Sullinger got in the action. He hit a trey himself.)

“There’s no absol on how to defend him,’’ Purdue coach Matt Painter said of Sullinger. “If you’re able to get into him and pressure him, you might be able to disrupt him. But if you don’t, that’s how they start picking you apart and they get into that flow.’’

William Buford was the recipient of much of Sullinger’s benevolence. The junior finished with a team-high 19 points, draining 5 of 6 from 3, as well as a lesson on the use of the ellipses from his coach.

Buford twisted his ankle in the Buckeyes’ win at Illinois on Saturday. X-rays revealed no problems and Matta dismissed it as ‘nothing major’ on the Big Ten conference call on Monday. Still, the coach wanted to make sure Buford was all right before the team’s shootaround on Tuesday.

“I sent him a text and asked how he was feeling,’’ Matta said. “And he wrote back, ‘A little sore, dot, dot dot.’’ I said, ‘You don’t dot dot dot me. So we had a long conversation about what dot dot dot means.’’

A delighted Matta admitted he’d never seen quite a box score like the one laid before him after the game -- “It’s rare because I’ve never seen 21-0 before,’’ he said -- and was quick to caution people to not judge Purdue on this loss.

He was, however, less eager to put this win into context for Ohio State.

But Matta is no dummy. He knows he has something special here.

This is a team that is supposed to be wilting under the pressure of a No. 1 ranking and an undefeated record and instead in the postgame, the Buckeyes were promising (threatening?) that more scoreboard music videos were coming.

They are either blissfully ignor of what they are doing or completely unaffected.

“I think where they have us right now, we are being judged,’’ Matta said.

True, but perhaps a little less harshly now.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Ten College Football Seniors Who Improved Their Draft Stock -NFL All-Pro Teams - Sullinger #1 Pick? - Buckeyes Remain Atop the Polls

AP NFL All-Pro Team
Results of The Associated Press 2010 NFL All-Pro Team balloting selected by a national panel of 50 media members:

OFFENSE

QB: Tom Brady
RBs: Arian Foster, Houston; Jamaal Charles, Kansas City.
FB: Vonta Leach, Houston
TE: Jason Witten, Dallas
WRs: Roddy White, Atlanta; Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis
OTs: Joe Thomas, Cleveland; Jake Long, Miami
OG: Jahri Evans, New Orleans; Logan Mankins, New England
C: Nick Mangold, N.Y. Jets
K: Billy Cundiff, Baltimore
KR: Devin Hester, Chicago

DEFENSE

DEs: Julius Peppers, Carolina; John Abraham, Atlanta
DT: Haloti Ngata, Baltimore; Ndamukong Suh, Detroit
OLBs: Clay Matthews, Green Bay; James Harrison, Pittsburgh.
ILBs: Patrick Willis, San Francisco, 28; Jerod Mayo, New England, 21
CBs: Nnamdi Asomugha, Oakland; Darrelle Revis, N.Y. Jets
S: Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh; Ed Reed, Baltimore
P: Shane Lechler, Oakland.



Sullinger Already Getting Picked as the #1 Player to Pick
Jared Sullinger -- who along with Aaron Craft and Jon Diebler gained a level of crossover fame by singing a Miley Cyrus song that was posted on YouTube -- earned another endorsements as the potential No. 1 pick in next summer's NBA draft. It came from Iowa coach Fran McCaffery, who obviously would like his future game-planning to be Sully-free. In discussing one of his own players after the game against Ohio State, McCaffery referred to Sullinger as "the first pick in the draft." Pressed on whether he indeed was "sizing up" Sullinger as the No. 1 pick in the 2011 draft, McCaffery said, "Yeah. I'd take him first. I'm not a [general manager], but I wouldn't be surprised [if he goes first]. I don't know who you take ahead of him. I can't think of anybody."





AP Top 25
No. School Record Points Prev
1 Ohio State (63) 20-0 1623 1
2 Pittsburgh (1) 19-1 1528 5
3 Duke (1) 18-1 1490 4
4 San Diego State 20-0 1386 6
5 Connecticut 16-2 1314 8
6 Kansas 18-1 1293 2
7 Texas 16-3 1267 10
8 Villanova 17-2 1199 7
9 Brigham Young 19-1 1095 9
9 Syracuse 18-2 1095 3
11 Missouri 17-3 887 13
12 Purdue 17-3 881 14
13 Texas A&M 17-2 847 11
14 Kentucky 15-4 709 12
15 Notre Dame 16-4 691 16
16 Minnesota 15-4 656 15
17 Wisconsin 15-4 614 18
18 Washington 15-4 584 20
19 Vanderbilt 14-4 317 34
20 Illinois 14-6 279 23
21 Georgetown 14-5 276 23
22 Florida State 15-5 218 33
23 Louisville 15-4 203 19
24 Florida 15-4 169 35
25 Michigan State 12-7 97 17





 
Ten players who likely improved their draft stock

 
By Rob Rang
Most NFL scouts left Orlando well before the 86th annual East-West Shrine Game was played to prepare for the next phase of the pre-draft process -- next week's Senior Bowl.
But the game itself does have meaning. Teams aren't looking for good practice players, after all. They want players whose best performances come on game day.
While many made an impression during the practice week, the 10 players listed below stood out from the 100 players who participated in Saturday's game. Players are listed alphabetically.

TE Kyle Adams, Purdue:
The former Boilermaker only caught two passes for 13 yards, but demonstrated fluidity as a route-runner, soft hands and impressed with his effective blocking and play on special teams. It was Adams' seal block of Nevada's Dontay Moch that allowed Syracuse running back Delone Carter to easily get the edge for a touchdown in the opening minutes of the game. Later, Adams' hustle on punt coverage helped pin Ryan Donahue's kick down at the two-yard line.

G/C J.C. Brignone, Mississippi State:
Brignone served as one of the few bright spots for a group of offensive linemen overmatched most of Saturday's game. Playing right guard and center, Brignone was able to turn and seal defenders, creating running lanes; he also pulled to get out in front and block linebackers in the open field. He was beaten by a swim move by Penn State DT Olong Ogbu for a pressure in the second quarter that forced an early throw from Idaho QB Nathan Enderle, but generally played well in pass protection, especially at his customary spot in the middle.

DT David Carter, UCLA:
The 6-feet-5, 298-pound Carter was one of many defensive linemen who feasted on inferior offensive line talent. Carter demonstrated good burst up the field and the strength to hold up in the running game. Carter enjoyed a strong week of practice leading up to the game, prompting scouts to wonder where this production had been earlier in the year.


RB Delone Carter, Syracuse:
There were some impressive performances from running backs on Saturday, but none trumped Carter's effort. At only 5-feet-9, one might expect his burst and agility to be his forte. True enough, Carter proved elusive and a quick accelerator Saturday. More impressive, however, was how Carter carried his 226-pound frame. He showcased explosive running, broke tackles and towed defenders for extra yardage. Carter led all rushers with 11 attempts for 54 yards, including a 16-yard scamper around right end for the game's opening touchdown.
RB Graig Cooper, Miami: He averaged only 3.3 yards per carry, but if you watched the game you'd know why he helped himself in the eyes of scouts. Cooper struggled this season after electing to play in 2010, only months after suffering a devastating knee injury in the 2009 Champs Sports Bowl. The lateral agility and acceleration that made Cooper one of the nation's better running backs a year ago is starting to return, and he's worthy of a draft selection.

QB Nathan Enderle, Idaho:
At 6-feet-5, 235 pounds, Enderle's height and big arm immediately stand out, especially in a game in which several of the other quarterbacks have only marginal size and zip. On Saturday, however, it wasn't Enderle's arm strength that impressed, but his touch. Though only credited as a 5-yard touchdown pass to Portland State tight end Julius Thomas, Enderle's second-quarter throw actually covered nearly 30 yards as he dropped deep, rolled slightly to his right and led Thomas to the left corner of the endzone. Seconds later Enderle proved his touch was no fluke with a similar soft toss to Thomas for a successful two-point conversion. In completing only 6 of 12 passes for 45 yards, the former Vandals' numbers were just OK. He outplayed the other quarterbacks in this game.

SS Shiloh Keo, Idaho:
There might have been more impressive defenders in this game, but Keo's passionate play and versatility will leave an indelible impression on scouts. The strong safety filled the hole aggressively against the run, showed better than expected agility in coverage, covered punts and kicks on special teams and returned both. That type of versatility will make him tough to cut.

OLB Josh McNary, Army:
The East-West Shrine Game serves as a jumping off point for NFL prospects, but for McNary and other players coming from military academies -- like Navy quarterback Ricky Dobbs -- it is one final game before serving a two-year commitment protecting our country. Their service warrants mention in itself, but so too did McNary's play. McNary's quick feet, balance and reliable open-field tackling stood out Saturday, perhaps proving that the former walk-on's career 49 tackles for loss and 28 sacks (both Army records) prove he's a rare service academy prospect worth keeping an eye on in the future.

TE Greg Smith, Texas:
Considering the 2010 season wasn't a great one in Austin, Smith needed a strong performance to generate positive press. He came through, leading all Shrine Game receivers in catches (four) and yards (77), while providing the longest play from scrimmage with a 35-yard reception in the third quarter. Athletic with soft, reliable hands, Smith could sneak into the late rounds, considering this year's weak class of tight ends.

QB Tyrod Taylor, Virginia Tech:
Enderle was the most impressive quarterback on this day, but some of that can be directly attributed to the fact that Taylor only attempted five passes. He was the only quarterback who completed more than half of his attempts (four) and he threw for more yards (59) than any other quarterback. Of course, Taylor is best known for his mobility. He again demonstrated his running skills, rushing for 13 yards on three carries. Taylor's athleticism was impressive in that he didn't use his feet to scramble, but rather to buy time in the pocket and exhaust his throwing options. Taylor makes a throw or two each time we see him that makes me wonder if he wouldn't surprise if given a legitimate chance as an NFL quarterback.

 
 

Monday, January 24, 2011

Braxton Miller Could Start First 5 Games for Ohio State - OSU Gets By Illinois - College Hoops Power Rankings -

Ohio State suspensions accelerate blue-chipper's path to QB job

Braxton Miller, one of the nation's top quarterback recruits, could start immediately for Ohio State in 2011.
Al Tielemans/SI

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- By the end of this week, Braxton Miller will be a college student. He'll play in the Under Armour All-American game on Wednesday, and he'll head to Columbus on Thursday to start his college career at Ohio State. "I'll make my family proud," the star quarterback from Wayne High in Huber Heights, Ohio, said Monday.
Miller's relatives won't be the only ones charting his early progress in Columbus, though. What would have been an easy, relatively quiet transition -- for a top-shelf quarterback recruit, at least -- has been set on its ear by the NCAA's ruling that Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor must sit out the first five games of his senior season for selling memorabilia. Suddenly, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound Miller is a candidate to be Ohio State's opening-day starter. Miller, a dual-threat quarterback who led his high school to Ohio's big-school state title game this season, admits the prospect of taking the field with the starting offense at the Horseshoe in September is exciting.
"Yeah, it is," Miller said. "It's a lot of pressure, too."
Indeed, because if Miller does beat out rising senior Joe Bauserman and rising sophomore Kenny Guiton for the job, Miller must lead a program that competes annually for the Big Ten title and spends most years in the national title hunt. Certainly, Miller knows he can't simply walk on campus and win the job. "People say that all the time. 'You're going to start the first five games,'" Miller said. "It's not that easy."
Complicating matters even more is the fact that quarterback is not like tailback or cornerback. The player who starts the season might, by game six, be better suited than the incumbent starter to lead the team. Also, there are still a few questions that need answering even before Miller takes his first spring practice snap. Chief among them: Is Pryor even coming back?
Pryor said last week that he plans to return for a truncated 2011 season. But that was before the Columbus Dispatch ran a story that allowed for one of two conclusions: Either Pryor has terrible luck and only gets pulled over by the cops when he's driving a dealership loaner car, or he's driving loaners an awful lot more than the average NCAA student-athlete. (C'mon, who hasn't been allowed to test-drive a used luxury SUV across state lines?) Pryor was cleared after an investigation into the situation, but the stink from it now that it's public may prod all parties to rethink their decision to reunite for the 2011 season.
Miller, for his part, would like to see Pryor return. "I still would like to learn from him," Miller said.
If Miller learns too well, though, where will that leave Pryor? Whichever quarterback wins the job will start against Colorado, Miami and Michigan State in games three, four and five. Pryor's suspension will end just before the Buckeyes travel to Lincoln to face Nebraska on Oct. 8, and there is no open date between the Michigan State game and the Nebraska game. From a practical standpoint, inserting a quarterback who hasn't played might not be the smartest move if the Buckeyes' offense is humming under the new guy. So what then? Does Coach Jim Tressel ask Pryor to move to receiver? Pryor is too good of an athlete to keep off the field, but he has said all along he intends to play quarterback. (There's also the possibility that the offense will be stagnant under the new guy, in which case Pryor's return would be welcome.)
Miller, who also is athletic enough to play other positions, certainly understands Pryor's thinking. Though he didn't drag out his recruitment the way Pryor did, Miller passed on offers from Alabama, Florida and others because Ohio State made him its first choice at quarterback in the class of 2011. And while Miller is a dynamic runner, he would prefer to move the ball by throwing. "If somebody's blitzing, if they're right in my face, I can scramble and hit a receiver, or I can use my feet to make stuff happen," Miller said. "I always like to use my arm, though."
Thanks to Pryor's suspension, Miller may have to use that arm to move the Buckeyes down the field sooner than expected, but the soon-to-be-freshman seems ready for the pressure. Miller's future teammates understand his importance, too. Wednesday, Miller will face off against fellow Ohio State commit Ryan Shazier. Shazier, a linebacker from Plantation, Fla., said he may have to take it easy on the franchise in their only meeting as opponents.
"I'll tackle him softly," Shazier said with a laugh.





Jared Sullinger carries unbeaten Buckeyes past Illini
 

Bucks Slide by Illinois

  OSU ILL
Points 73 68
FG Made-Attempted 21-53 (.396) 28-65 (.431)
3P Made-Attempted 7-15 (.467) 4-17 (.235)
FT Made-Attempted 24-27 (.889) 8-10 (.800)
Fouls (Tech/Flagrant) 14 (0/0) 21 (0/0)
Largest Lead 8 8
Game Leaders
  OSU ILL
Points J. Sullinger 27 J. Richmond 18
Rebounds J. Sullinger 16 J. Richmond 10
Assists D. Lighty 4 D. McCamey 5
Steals D. Lighty 1 D. Richardson 2
Blocks J. Sullinger 3 M. Tisdale 3


Big Ten Conference Standings
TEAM CONF W-L TOTAL W-L
#1 Ohio State 7-0 20-0
#13 Purdue 6-1 17-3
#17 Wisconsin 5-2 15-4
#22 Illinois 4-3 14-6
#18 Michigan State 4-3 12-7
#19 Minnesota 3-3 14-4
Penn State 3-4 10-8
Northwestern 3-5 13-6
Michigan 1-5 11-8
Iowa 1-6 8-11
Indiana 1-6 10-1CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- With Ohio State down by eight and just under 13 minutes to play, Jared Sullinger assured his teammates that this one was in the bag.
"Don't worry, don't worry," the freshman sensation said over and over as he and the Buckeyes gathered for a timeout.
No. 1 ranking and undefeated season on the line. Big Ten road game at Illinois (No. 22 ESPN/USA Today, No. 23 AP).
Who's the No. 1 contender?
Ohio State has emerged as the unquestioned No. 1. But if we learned anything Saturday, it's that the national title contender race is wide open, writes Eamonn Brennan. Blog
Nothing to worry about, right?
Yeah, as it turns out, right.
Sullinger had 27 points and 16 rebounds while playing all 40 minutes, and the Buckeyes scored 14 straight points in the second half to rally past Illinois 73-68 on Saturday.
"I felt like Jared was pretty good today," Ohio State coach Thad Matta deadpanned, then waited a beat for the reporters in the room to take in what he'd said. "That was a joke -- he was awesome."
Sullinger was 13-for-15 at the free throw line and scored Ohio State's first nine points of the second half, keeping his team in the game when none of his teammates could find the basket.
And finally, when Illinois' last gasp ended, it was Sullinger, sitting in the lane grinning and holding the ball, signaling that it was over and the Buckeyes (20-0, 7-0) could relax.
"Pride, heart and composure," Sullinger said. "Those three things -- we really showed a lot of composure."
None of it, though, came easy.
Trailing 34-33 at halftime, the Buckeyes came out cold. Sullinger's nine points over the first 6:30 were all they could muster.

Fast Facts
• The top-ranked Buckeyes remained undefeated and started 20-0 or better for the third time in school history (1961 and 1962).

• Both previous 20-0 starts resulted in Ohio State advancing to the NCAA title game.

• Ohio State has won four straight and nine of 11 against Illinois. The Buckeyes have also won 10 straight road games in conference play.

• Freshman Jared Sullinger scored 27 points and added 16 rebounds, his second game this season with at least 25 points and 15 rebounds

Matta said afterward that Sullinger would have been just as happy if someone else was scoring the points, as long as the result was the same.
"He's a special young man," Matta said. "His humility -- he's all about winning."
Jereme Richmond had 18 points and 10 rebounds for Illinois (14-6, 4-3), and Mike Tisdale added 15 points. Demetri McCamey, who leads the Illini with 16.2 points a game, scored just five on 2-of-11 shooting.
Still, when Mike Davis' layup dropped with 12:51 to play, Illinois was up 50-42 and Matta called a timeout.
That's when Sullinger, waving his arms like a football referee signaling an incomplete pass, told his teammates they shouldn't worry.
They must have listened.
Starting with a pair of free throws by Jon Diebler with 11:39 left and ending with a 3-pointer by Deshaun Thomas with 7:47 to go, the Buckeyes went on a 14-0 run that gave them a 56-50 lead.
"We started playing a little tentative, they turned up the pressure," Tisdale said. "They made plays, we didn't."
The Illini, though, still had a run left in them.
Down 68-61 with 2:12 to play, they scored seven of the next eight points, the last of them on a 3-pointer by the 7-foot-1 Tisdale to close to 69-68.
The Illini were forced to foul Aaron Craft, who sank both free throws for a 71-68 Ohio State lead with 15 seconds left.
The Illini brought the ball back up and McCamey flipped it to Tisdale as he moved inside toward the basket. Diebler stripped the ball from Tisdale's hand and Sullinger, heading to the floor, latched onto it to seal the win.
Talk in Illinois for much of the week centered on the last time the two teams met with one undefeated, in March 2005. Ohio State ended Illinois' unbeaten run that season, though Illinois went on to play in the NCAA title game, losing to North Carolina.
Sullinger's brother, J.J., was part of that Buckeyes team.
The younger Sullinger lived up to his billing, often dealing with two Illinois defenders, but not quite often enough, he said.
"They came with like a semi-double -- if I went to the middle, the other big would just sit there in the middle," he said. "It really wasn't a [true] double-team, so I was able to do what I could do."
In a rough, physical first half, Sullinger led the Buckeyes with 11 points -- three from the free throw line -- and eight rebounds, playing much of the first 20 minutes with gauze in his nose to stop a nose bleed.
"That was one of the big things we talked about -- don't foul him," Illinois coach Bruce Weber said. "You've got to give him a little space and just put your arms up because he's going to come at you."
But Richmond, another highly recruited freshman, traded shots and boards with the big Buckeye.
After Illinois trailed 20-12 with just under 10 minutes left in the half, Richmond scored on three straight possessions, all in heavy traffic under the basket, to cut Ohio State's lead to 20-18.
Sullinger, though, answered with 8:12 to play with a strong, two-handed dunk.
"He's tough," Davis said. "He's bigger than I thought he was."
Illinois closed the first half with an 8-0 run, the last points coming from Brandon Paul's jumper on the break that made the score 34-33.
Much of the run, though, was a direct result of work by Richmond.
He started it with a short basket after grabbing the rebound off Tisdale's miss with 2:24 to play, cutting the Buckeyes' lead 33-28.
On Illinois' next possession, Richmond fed Davis for a dunk that trimmed the deficit to three.
With 54 seconds to play, Richmond buried a short basket over Sullinger, forcing the Buckeyes' freshman to the floor in the process.
"I thought we had them the whole way," a downbeat Richmond said. "We knew at halftime they were going to make a run. They're a good team, but I felt like we had them."

College Hoops Power Rankings January 24, 2011
1 (1) Ohio State (14) 19-0 398 The Buckeyes handled their newfound fame atop the polls with aplomb ... but that was against Penn State and Iowa. Now Ohio State finally starts to feast on the meat of the Big Ten schedule, with a game at Illinois and then home versus Purdue. This week OSU will truly earn its ranking.
2 (2) Kansas (2) 18-0 385 The drubbing the Jayhawks put on Baylor will get them in the No. 1 conversation. If Kansas can do the same to Texas, it may no longer be an argument.
3 (5) Pittsburgh 18-1 365 The home-court advantage is fierce for the Panthers, but the Panthers are pretty fierce themselves. Their smarts (dissecting the zone), shooting ability (6-of-15 beyond from the arc) and depth all played into the win against Syracuse as much as the Petersen Events Center crowd.
4 (4) Duke 17-1 349 Blue Devils fans were gasping in horror early against Virginia when Duke trailed by 10. Then they were exhaling in relief when the Devils' 43-18 run put the Cavaliers to bed. Yes, Duke's mortality is showing. But in a well-below-average ACC, the Devils continue to coast.
5 (3) Syracuse 18-1 336 The Orange might have won more respect with their first loss than with all their victories. Coming back from a 19-0 deficit to go toe to toe with Pittsburgh on the road without Kris Joseph said a lot about the talent of this team. C.J. Fair's play was even more eye-opening.
6 (6) San Diego State 20-0 325 The Aztecs handled the Pit. Can they handle the Cougars? This is show-me time for SDSU. The doubters will either become believers or "I told you so" loudmouths when San Diego State plays at BYU on Wednesday night.
7 (9) Connecticut 15-2 301 The knock on the Huskies is Kemba Walker is their only scoring threat. But until someone finds a way to stop him, it's an irrelevant problem. Walker continues to carry UConn on his back and stuff his player-of-the-year ballot box.
8 (7) Villanova 16-2 273 The Wildcats remain among the elite in the Big East but after losing to Connecticut will have to reclaim their position at Syracuse, where the Orange already sold 33,000 tickets. Villanova needs Corey Stokes in that game and every game. He is the lockdown outside scoring threat that the Cats need to win consistently.
9 (13) Texas 15-3 272 The Longhorns looked impressive in putting a smackdown on a very good, very fundamentally sound Texas A&M team. Freshmen Tristan Thompson and Cory Joseph have been terrific all season. How will they handle Allen Fieldhouse is the next question they must answer.
10 (10) Brigham Young 18-1 260 Jimmer Fredette, apparently, can score from the locker room without breaking a sweat. Along with being a scoring sensation, he's now a video sensation. But the Cougars are climbing the rankings as a team -- Jackson Emery took care of business against TCU -- as they head into The Game with San Diego State.
11 (8) Purdue 16-3 227 Have the Boilermakers hit the wall? Two losses and a near home disaster against Penn State may suggest as much. Two games this week -- against Michigan State and Ohio State -- will go far to answer that question more succinctly.
12 (14) Missouri 16-3 216 The Tigers can make a case to challenge Texas as the second-best team in the Big 12 if they can figure out how to win on the road.
13 (11) Texas A&M 16-2 207 The Aggies were exposed by the buzzsaw that is Texas, ending their 13-game win streak. A visit from Kansas State awaits on Saturday.
14 (12) Kentucky 14-4 181 The young Wildcats have struggled on the road, which doesn't bode well for the future. They play three of their next four away from Rupp Arena. Kentucky needs more out of its post play. JaMychal Green smoked UK with 18 points and 11 boards.
15 (23) Louisville 15-3 146 The Cardinals proved this week they can come from behind (against Marquette) and win going away (against St. John's). In a crowded middle of the Big East pack, Louisville is starting to distinguish itself.
16 (20) Wisconsin 13-4 142 The never-flashy, always-solid Badgers continue to do what Bo Ryan teams do: stay in the hunt. They may turn out to be the second-best team in the Big Ten.
17 (16) Washington 13-4 127 The biggest issue for the Huskies is what happens when they can't score. Stanford held Washington to 56 points and 36 percent shooting in getting an upset. The Huskies remain the best in the Pac-10, though Arizona will make its case Thursday night.
18 (18) Illinois 14-5 125 The roller-coaster ride continues for Illinois, losing to Wisconsin and trying hard to lose to Michigan State at home. The Illini have all the ingredients to be a really good team. Can they mix them up appropriately against Ohio State on Saturday?
19 (15) Notre Dame 15-4 124 Good bounce-back win for the Irish against Cincinnati, but they have to learn how to win away from the Joyce Center to be taken seriously.
20 (32) Minnesota 14-4 101 Team Soap Opera keeps finding ways to win despite drama all around it. Trevor Mbakwe also continues to prove his value to Tubby Smith.
21 (24) Saint Mary's 17-2 92 The Gaels have won 11 in a row since suffering their only two losses of the season to MWC powers BYU and San Diego State. A visit to Vanderbilt awaits.
22 (18) Michigan State 12-6 75 Everyone keeps waiting for the Spartans to get in gear. The reality could be: This is their gear. Michigan State's inexplicable slide continued with a loss to Illinois, a game the Spartans easily could have won.
23 (34) Arizona 15-3 34 The Wildcats are viewed as the second-best team in the Pac-10. They'll make their case for best when they play at W
Washington on Thursday night. Derrick Williams remains one of the most under-the-radar talents in the country.
24 (31) Gonzaga 13-5 32 Quietly, while no one has been paying much attention, the Zags have won nine in a row and barely been challenged in the process. That brutal nonconference schedule could still pay dividends.
25 (28) Georgetown 14-5 26 Road wins over Rutgers and Seton Hall earned the Hoyas consecutive victories for the first time since before Christmas. A more difficult Big East stretch awaits.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

SI's NBA Midseason Grades - Pittsburgh Tries to Love Big Ben Again - Lil Wayne Disses LeBron


SI's NBA Midseason Grades

The best aspect of the first half of the season was the drama it has set up for the second half and on into the playoffs. The Celtics and Lakers are seeing their conference supremacy challenged by Miami and league-leading San Antonio, respectively. The Magic blew up their team and seemingly emerged stronger; the Bulls shrugged off an assortment of injuries and kept winning.
But a team's record isn't the sole criterion for these grades. Another factor is how well the team has performed relative to reasonable expectations. For example, the Hornets have a slightly worse record than the Jazz, Mavericks or Thunder, but few people imagined they'd be this close to landing home-court advantage in the Western Conference playoffs at this point. Also taken into consideration is how and why a team is winning or losing. Some sub-.500 teams are accepting losses while they build a foundation for their future, while others have been sabotaged by injuries or dysfunction. And finally, weight is also given to how well (or poorly) the season's first half has positioned the team the rest of the way.
In the end, of course, it is a subjective judgment that could look especially silly or shrewd with a sudden winning streak or mysterious collapse.

(All stats and records are through Jan. 19.)

B+ Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks have won seven of eight to wedge themselves between the highly respected Bulls and Magic in the standings, and they've emphasized defense -- the ingredient to playoff success -- under rookie coach Larry Drew. Yet it still feels as if the Hawks' season is on an entertaining treadmill, while they hope against the odds that it's actually an escalator. Al Horford keeps getting better, and Mike Bibby is providing more than can be reasonably expected of a 33-year-old point guard who was already slow in his prime. But they're paying Joe Johnson to be a difference-maker, and he keeps demonstrating he's better suited to be the third-best player on a champion. The Hawks have reached the second round of the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, but they would be hard-pressed to repeat that accomplishment if they end up facing Chicago, Orlando, Boston or Miami in a 4-5 first-round matchup.

A- Boston Celtics
Concerns about a more lax defense without injured center Kendrick Perkins and departed assistant coach Tom Thibodeau were unfounded as the Celtics once again were indomitable before Christmas. They beat the Heat twice and rolled to a 23-4 mark with a 14-game winning streak, surviving a slew of injuries to players other than their veteran Big Three, including NBA assist leader Rajon Rondo and practically everyone taller than 6-9. But right after that, a 10-game stretch of .500 ball and Kevin Garnett's calf injury brought back memories of last year's midseason swoon. No matter: The Celtics have demonstrated that when fully healthy they have to be considered at least the co-favorites to win the East.

C- Charlotte Bobcats
In retrospect, Larry Brown should have walked out, or been shown the door, right after Charlotte decided to trim payroll by dumping Tyson Chandler and failing to re-sign Raymond Felton in the offseason. After leading the franchise to its first playoff appearance last season, the 70-year-old coach was exhausted by the notion of retooling, and his team followed his lead. Interim coach Paul Silas, himself 67, has simultaneously relaxed and energized the players, stoking the confidence of some guys ignored by Brown, such as center Kwame Brown (the former No. 1 pick now incredibly in his 10th year) and second-year swingman Gerald Henderson. The Bobcats' hopes of returning to the playoffs mostly rest with Gerald Wallace, Stephen Jackson and Tyrus Thomas. But they're better off with Silas at the helm.

A Chicago Bulls
Nothing beats watching your team win a championship, but seeing one quicken into a legitimate contender after years of mediocrity is nearly as satisfying. That's what the Bulls' faithful is experiencing now: the emergence of a superstar in Derrick Rose, and the way major and minor role players have clicked into place almost exactly the way it was envisioned in the summer blueprint, despite a plethora of injuries. The Bulls, with the right mix of size and quickness, offense and defense, age and youth, are coalescing into something that could be special. Among the minor points of concern are Carlos Boozer's injury history; Rose's endurance after playing in the FIBA World Championship last summer and now carrying a heavy burden for Chicago; the temperament of tightly wound coach Tom Thibodeau when the intensity rises in the postseason; and a less-than-stellar rotation at shooting guard.

F Cleveland Cavaliers
Their three straight road wins in early November seem like a mirage today. If Amar'e Stoudemire had converted a 12-foot fadeaway at the buzzer on Dec. 18, the Cavs would be in the midst of a 24-game losing streak. As it is, they have dropped 14 in a row. Their best player, Anderson Varejao, is lost for the season with an ankle injury. They rank last in offensive efficiency (points scored per 100 possessions) and 29th in defensive efficiency. If you strain hard for positive signs, you can make out the improvement in Daniel Gibson, the flashes of talent in J.J. Hickson when he's not feuding with coach Byron Scott, and the fact that those seven wins in October and November count just the same on the final tally in April, probably saving the Cavs the ignominy of being the worst team of all time.


B Dallas Mavericks
A little more than three weeks ago, they had the league's second-best record and were a confident, deep and well-balanced team. Now, after a 3-9 plunge triggered by injuries to forwards Dirk Nowitzki (who missed nine games) and Caron Butler (who is out for the rest of the regular season), they have the sixth-best record and precious little momentum heading into the second half. Taking more contested shots in the half court after Nowitzki went down, Jason Kidd converted 26.5 percent from the field and Jason Terry was at 39.6 percent over a 10-game stretch. Nowitzki has returned and, even with Butler gone, there's too much talent here to totally fade from contention. But the notion that this was a special season in Dallas is gone, and will be hard to regain.

B- Denver Nuggets
Their season will remain in limbo until the Carmelo Anthony situation is resolved. The reasonable assumption is that Anthony wants to be paid a maximum salary and choose which team he plays for next, the Nuggets want maximum return in any trade and those parallel desires are difficult to reconcile. Fair enough, but Nuggets fans deserve better; along with waiting out the Carmelo saga, they've been unable to see this team play at full strength very often and have heard rumors that the team's other marquee player, Chauncey Billups, will also be dealt -- against his desire to stay, retire and ascend to the Denver front office. Under the circumstances, the team is a respectable 24-17. Nobody knows what the next step is in the wake of New Jersey's decision to end Carmelo talks. The seasonlong uncertainty makes the most logical grade an incomplete, but the B-minus reflects George Karl's solid work in the face of trying circumstances.

C Detroit Pistons
Let the rebuilding begin in earnest, because it is just as certain after 42 games as it was back in October that even if the current roster overachieves, Detroit still isn't going to be anything more than first-round fodder for the Celtics or the Heat. Losing Jonas Jerebko in the preseason was a rough blow to that rebuilding process, but over the past couple of weeks it has been good to see John Kuester's belatedly giving big minutes to rookie center Greg Monroe and finding more time for second-year forward Austin Daye. Kuester has also stopped using veteran shooting guard Richard Hamilton, whom the coach insists was benched as part of a rotation change, not to keep him healthy before a possible trade.

C+ Golden State Warriors
After two years of lampooning Basketball 101 under thankfully departed coach Don Nelson, the Warriors are working toward respectability. There's still plenty of room for improvement: They rank only 28th in defensive efficiency and last in defensive rebounding percentage, and they shoot the fewest number of free throws while allowing the second most. But Monta Ellis has become more than just a volume scorer and ball-hawk, and three-point shooter Dorell Wright has proved to be a shrewd acquisition. If guard Stephen Curry, forward David Lee and center Andris Biedrins overcome their nagging injuries and stop underachieving, Golden State -- which has a home-heavy schedule in the second half -- could still contend for a playoff spot.

C Houston Rockets
Losing Yao Ming yet again is naturally the central drama to the season, but it was revealing how unsuccessful the limited-minutes experiment with him was before he went down. Coach Rick Adelman's post-Yao strategy has been to try to run a high-powered offense with the likes of Kevin Martin, Luis Scola, Aaron Brooks, Chase Budinger and floor-spacing center Brad Miller, and balance them with quality defenders such as Chuck Hayes, Shane Battier and Courtney Lee. The result has been offensive fireworks and horrible defense. GM Daryl Morey has rightly been praised for stockpiling assets, and if ever a team needed to trade quantity for quality, it's the Rockets.

C+ Indiana Pacers
Given the tantalizing glimpses we've seen, a 16-23 record is disappointing. Center Roy Hibbert played like a potential All-Star the first six weeks of the season and then shot less than 40 percent the last six weeks. Danny Granger has been an All-Star but is not playing like one this season. Point guard Darren Collision is finally finding a rhythm after being given more minutes and freedom to run the offense, but his defense is problematic. Overall, defense is what's propping up the Pacers, who rank eighth in points allowed per 100 possessions. That's why they are more likely to flourish than flounder in the second half, although neither scenario would be a surprise.

B+ Los Angeles Clippers
Blake Griffin has relentlessly gotten better in his rookie season. From October to January, all of his major categories -- minutes, points, rebounds and assists -- have steadily improved each month. In his first eight January games, he is averaging 27.8 points, 13.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists. Not coincidentally, the Clippers have risen with him, posting months of 0-3, 3-12, 7-8 and 6-2. The Rookie of the Year lock isn't a one-man team, either. Eric Gordon leads the Clippers with 23.8 points a game. Baron Davis has shelved the selfishness that can infect his game and is increasingly looking to enable Griffin and Gordon in half-court sets. DeAndre Jordan is finding his niche as a rim protector. Ryan Gomes is a savvy glue guy. Eric Bledsoe and Al-Farouq Aminu are precocious rookies who didn't embarrass themselves as starters when injuries hit the team earlier this year and deserve their rotation minutes now. And center Chris Kaman, an All-Star last season, should be back sometime during the second half of the season. L.A. will be tested with 10 consecutive road games starting before and finishing after the All-Star break, but Clippers jokes are on hold in 2011.

B+ Los Angeles Lakers
They are "only" 31-13, including four home defeats to teams currently with losing records, and face a tougher schedule in the second half. Other things to worry about, in order of importance: the lack of cartilage in Kobe Bryant's aching knee; the seven-game advantage the Spurs hold in the loss column for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference; Ron Artest's shooting woes; and the surprising lack of depth, even with Andrew Bynum's return, for the last six weeks of the season's first half. On the other hand, Lamar Odom is playing better than ever, Bynum's early-season absence will make him fresher for the playoffs, and Kobe and coach Phil Jackson know as well as anyone what is required to go from opening night to the NBA Finals.

B Memphis Grizzlies
After Memphis faded from playoff contention last season due at least in part to overworked starters and the NBA's least productive bench, coach Lionel Hollins has sought to develop a quality nine- or 10-man rotation. It was smart to make O.J. Mayo a sixth man, and Hollins has worked defensive specialist Tony Allen, second-year forwards Darrell Arthur and Sam Young and rookie guards Xavier Henry and Greivis Vasquez into the regular mix. If Portland finally succumbs to its injuries and the Nuggets ever do trade Carmelo Anthony and start rebuilding, the deeper Grizzlies -- led by Zach Randolph (20 points, 13 rebounds per game) and Rudy Gay (20.7 points on a career-high 47.7 percent shooting) -- are poised to pounce on a playoff spot.

B+ Miami Heat
In recent years, some of the elite NBA teams, recognizing that the road to a championship is a marathon, have caught their breath and coasted for brief stretches after proving to themselves they could perform at a title-worthy level. Perhaps that explains how the Heat have bracketed their 21-1 dominance over a six-week period through December with a pedestrian 9-8 start and a current four-game losing streak. The Heat have cause to be confident. Their point differential is second only to San Antonio's, and when LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are both healthy and acclimated to playing with each other, they've been close to unbeatable. All that said, however, LeBron has seen his favored, supposedly elite team beaten before, more than once, in the postseason; this team still hasn't defeated the Celtics (it's 0-2 with the next showdown set for Feb. 13); and Miami's supporting cast lacks the playoff pedigree of most legitimate contenders. So far, Miami has been as good as advertised. But the real tests are on the horizon.

C- Milwaukee Bucks
Reigning Executive of the Year John Hammond should have realized that ball-hogger Corey Maggette and no-nonsense, defensive-oriented coach Scott Skiles would mix like oil and water. But Hammond has no control over the recovery time necessary for franchise cornerstone Andrew Bogut to regain his peak form of a year ago, before he suffered a horrific fall last April. Add in the injuries that have sidelined point guard Brandon Jennings (their second-best player), Hammond's other big offseason acquisition, forward Drew Gooden, and double-digit scorer Carlos Delfino, and you have the opposite of last year's feel-good story. Silver linings: According to Basketball-Reference, the Bucks have played the NBA's toughest schedule; and despite a woeful offense and 15-24 record, Milwaukee is only one games out of the eighth seed in the East -- and just one game behind the pace of last year's playoff team, which went 30-13 down the stretch.

C Minnesota Timberwolves
Their frontcourt is arguably among the 10 best in the NBA. Third-year power forward Kevin Love has blossomed into a star and a rebounding phenomenon, and small forward Michael Beasley has played closer to the potential that made him the No. 2 pick in 2008 than he did in his two seasons in Miami. Center Darko Milicic remains maddeningly inconsistent but continues to tease with ace shot-blocking and a refined low-post offensive game on the occasions when he is focused. On the flip side, second-year point guard Jonny Flynn looks like a bust, 23-year-old rookie Wes Johnson is regressing and the adults in the room, point guard Luke Ridnour and coach Kurt Rambis, don't seem capable of helping this team hold on to fourth-quarter leads. The Wolves have come a long way since last season, but they have at least that far to go before playoff contention is even a possibility.

D New Jersey Nets
Is it possible to take a step backward from a 12-win season? Since the conclusion of that horrid year, the Nets were bought by a grandiose billionaire who was used as a pawn during his courtship of big-name free agents; New Jersey eventually settled for Travis Outlaw, who has a wretched 47.6 true shooting percentage (which takes into account free throws and three-pointers) and, according to Basketball Value, is a weak link on defense. More recently, the Nets were spurned in their assiduous pursuit of Carmelo Anthony, before saying they'd finally ended the chase. Their best players (Brook Lopez and Devin Harris) have been inconsistent and they have the NBA's fourth-worst record at 11-31 under Avery Johnson. On the bright side, a 2-28 finish is all it would take to improve on last season.

A New Orleans Hornets
The Hornets have nearly the same record as Chicago and Utah, so why some observers don't at least include Chris Paul in the conversation for best point guard in the NBA, when Derrick Rose and Deron Williams have vastly superior supporting casts, is a mystery. Adopting the slow, deliberate pace he learned under Nate McMillan in Portland, rookie coach Monty Williams has done a terrific job wringing near-optimal production from defensive-oriented center Emeka Okafor and helping New Orleans jump from 21st to sixth in defensive efficiency. The winning formula has been to slow the tempo, play solid team defense and rely on arguably the best two-man game in a half-court offense this season, Paul and deadly mid-range shooter David West. The Hornets probably won't get past the first round of the playoffs, but they're still better at this stage of the season than most anyone expected.

B New York Knicks
The Knicks have thrived on the pick-and-roll prowess of Amar'e Stoudemire and point guard Raymond Felton, but, as often happens with Mike D'Antoni's teams, they're being undone by shoddy defense. They are 11-2 when holding opponents below 100 points and, having lost five of six, 22-19 overall. But it counts for something that fans have derived a lot of satisfaction out of such a relatively mediocre record. It's been a long drought in New York. In a perfect world, Stoudemire would be paired with another star. Otherwise, notwithstanding more interior help, the surrounding pieces are mostly in place. Rookie Landry Fields is playing with the sagacity of a wily vet, Wilson Chandler has been a reliable swingman and Danilo Gallinari has added dribble penetration and an ability to draw fouls to his long-range shooting.

B+ Oklahoma City Thunder
A year ago, the young Thunder improved by 27 games and threw a scare into the Lakers in the playoffs. It was inevitable that this encore season would be overhyped, anticlimactic and, in terms of wins and losses, more successful than last year. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook have slipped defensively, but Durant has picked it up offensively after a slow start and Westbrook is attacking the rim with a vengeance for the Northwest Division co-leaders. The two stars and the improvement of second-year bench players Serge Ibaka and James Harden make the Thunder a legitimate threat to do some damage in the playoffs. And if they swoon, the experience will make them that much better in 2011-12.

B+ Orlando Magic
GM Otis Smith should be applauded for having the nerve and instincts to make wholesale changes to a team seemingly destined to take a step backward. Those who clamor for Gilbert Arenas to take time away from Jameer Nelson miss the point: The trade with Washington was perhaps most beneficial for avoiding the awkward scenario of eventually having to bench Rashard Lewis and his enormous contract. As for the deal with Phoenix, I was apparently wrong to doubt the instant rejuvenation of Hedo Turkoglu, but maintain that the real upgrade is swapping out Vince Carter, who shrinks from the occasion, for Jason Richardson, who was part of Golden State's historic upset of Dallas in the 2007 playoffs and was frequently unstoppable in helping Phoenix get to the conference finals last season. But for all he's done, shame on Smith if he can't unearth a quality backup center for Dwight Howard before the spring.

B- Philadelphia 76ers
The situation looked grim when the Sixers started 3-13, including two losses apiece to the Wizards, Raptors and Cavaliers. New coach Doug Collins' reputation as a quick-fix artist of bad teams was being supplanted by the notion that he was out of touch. But then the defense kicked in, allowing under 100 points in 10 of 11 games as Philadelphia went 8-3. If the season ended today, the Sixers would qualify for the playoffs while still developing their young roster. Six of Philadelphia's top eight players in minutes are 24 or younger, including 20-year-old cornerstone point guard Jrue Holiday and 22-year-old sixth man Thaddeus Young. No. 2 pick Evan Turner is also in that mix, but the rookie shooting guard is hitting only 39.5 percent and hopefully faces a learning curve rather than being physically overwhelmed.

C- Phoenix Suns
Letting Amar'e Stoudemire walk was defensible only if you had a quality option in the paint and didn't have to rely solely on center Robin Lopez, who entered the season having played 1,600 minutes in the NBA -- the equivalent of slightly less than 20 minutes per game for one full season. When Lopez predictably couldn't carry the load on his own, the Suns dealt leading scorer Jason Richardson -- and took on Vince Carter -- to get center Marcin Gortat. Now last year's conference finalists are under .500 and rank last in defensive efficiency. They need to take advantage of this break in the schedule -- a stretch of five straight games against losing East teams began with Wednesday's victory in Cleveland -- if they are going to avoid wasting the next-to-last year of Steve Nash's contract.

B- Portland Trail Blazers
Count me among those who assumed Portland would never have to endure another run of injuries as damaging as the one that derailed it last season. Well, having the three biggest keys to its championship aspirations -- Brandon Roy, Greg Oden and Marcus Camby -- all felled by knee woes exceeds last year's carnage (Roy is sidelined indefinitely after surgery on both knees this week, Oden is done for the season and Camby is scheduled for surgery Thursday that is expected to keep him out for several weeks). Thus, we're once again left to admire the Blazers' grit in the face of adversity, while strongly suspecting that a team I regarded as a legitimate threat to the Lakers in the preseason will face an uphill battle merely to make the playoffs. There have been positives amid the injuries: LaMarcus Aldridge has become a legitimate low-post scorer; it's pretty clear management didn't waste $34 million when it signed free agent Wes Matthews; playing at the league's slowest pace still enables Nate McMillan's team to out-execute many opponents; and Andre Miller remains a steady contributor.

D+ Sacramento Kings
Rock bottom occurred somewhere in that November-December period when they lost 16 of 17 games, reigning Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans was hobbling around on a bum foot, rookie DeMarcus Cousins was displaying his immaturity and coach Paul Westphal's job status was a daily curiosity. Although that gruesome phase has passed, Sacramento is still the NBA's second-worst team at 9-31. For better or worse, Westphal is fast-forwarding the development process, giving Cousins a full immersion despite the presence of a strong backup in veteran Samuel Dalembert. The Kings have drafted skillfully and have some decent trade chips like Omri Casspi and Carl Landry, if they want to clear cap space or fill in pieces that complement Evans and Cousins.

A+ San Antonio Spurs
They are on a 70-win pace without a viable MVP candidate -- now that's a team. Everyone has a specific role but is expected to be proficient in other areas. Manu Ginobili is a premier closer, and Tim Duncan and Tony Parker have postseason game-winners on their résumé, but no one is surprised if the likes of Gary Neal and Matt Bonner are called on to take the big shot. Much has been made, with good reason, of the Spurs' up-tempo reforms on offense, but two other things to keep in mind: In the Gregg Popovich/Duncan era, the Spurs have almost always improved in the second half by tightening their defense; and they're running away with the NBA's best record despite little production from rookies James Anderson (who played six games before breaking his foot) and Tiago Splitter, and the fact that Richard Jefferson's much-ballyhooed renaissance has been mostly hype.

C- Toronto Raptors
Their future without Chris Bosh is not as bereft of hope as Cleveland's without LeBron, but the Raptors still seem relatively clueless about how to build a winning roster. They paid big money to Andrea Bargnani, Jose Calderon and Hedo Turkoglu the past few years, with predictably disastrous results on defense. They were able to unload Turkoglu (for Leandro Barbosa) in the offseason, and create some future salary-cap flexibility by trading for the expiring contract of Peja Stojakovic in late November. But aside from banger Joey Dorsey and foul-prone Amir Johnson, there aren't any above-average defenders on the roster. Second-year swingman DeMar DeRozan has had some breakout scoring games lately, but the deeper statistics confirm what you see -- he doesn't do much to enable his teammates at either end of the court. Even with Bosh and Turkoglu, the Raptors missed the playoffs in the weaker Eastern Conference last season. Unfortunately, their current 13-29 record seems about right.

B- Utah Jazz
Deron Williams carried the Jazz through a 13-3 November, including 6-1 on the road, with MVP-caliber play, but they're barely over .500 otherwise. Their chronically inept first quarters are finally starting to cost them games, and coach Jerry Sloan might have to think about altering his lineup so that two unreliable shooters, Andrei Kirilenko and Raja Bell, aren't out there together for the opening tip. Forward Paul Millsap and sixth man C.J. Miles have been boom or bust on offense, and new acquisition Al Jefferson is holding his own on defense but without the offensive explosions that occurred pretty regularly in Minnesota. Now that Mehmet Okur is back, maybe Sloan can hit upon the right rotation. But right now, Carlos Boozer's offensive consistency is sorely missed.

D Washington Wizards
No one is shocked that the Wizards phased out Gilbert Arenas in favor of John Wall, or that once-touted players like Yi Jianlian and Al Thornton haven't improved on their pedestrian performances of previous years. But the more viable causes for hope also haven't panned out. Wall's rookie campaign has been marred by injuries. Forward Andray Blatche, who received an extension that added at least $28 million to his contract in the offseason, is shooting less than 42 percent and had a physical altercation with the Wizards' other skilled big man, JaVale McGee, outside a nightclub last month. Coach Flip Saunders' offensive ingenuity is being translated into the NBA's 25th-ranked team in points per 100 possessions. And despite the steady veteran presence of Kirk Hinrich and (more recently) Rashard Lewis, and the emergence of Nick Young as a potent scorer, Washington is the sixth team in NBA history to start a season 0-20 on the road.









A great article from www.espn.com on Big Ben! Great Read!

PITTSBURGH -- The barkeeps along Carson Street say they haven't seen Ben Roethlisberger around in a while. They'd know if he were here. Pittsburgh, at its core, is one big little city. And people talk.
Steel mills used to drive the South Side, but sweat and grit have been replaced by Abercrombie & Fitch. It's a trendy area now, loaded with yuppies, college kids and watering holes. This used to be Roethlisberger's stomping grounds -- well, one of them -- and stories flow like Iron City beer from a tap.
There was a time, back in the boozy, pre-scandal days, when Roethlisberger could triple a bar's foot traffic within an hour. He'd show up at Jack's Rose Bar, a couple of patrons would grab their cell phones and text BIG BEN'S HERE, and the party would begin.
"He frequented our place a lot," said Chris Dawso, who owns Jack's. "We used to call him the Pied Piper.
"But he hasn't been around at all this year."
Roethlisberger, his supporters say, has grown up. He had to. The face of the Pittsburgh Steelers franchise stood in front of an angry and disappointed city this past spring, at the precipice of losing everything. In April, prosecutors had decided not to charge him with sexually assaulting a woman in Georgia, but he was facing a six-game suspension by the NFL. (It was later reduced to four.) He had two Super Bowl rings, and a locker room many suspected he had lost. Team president Art Rooney II said Roethlisberger had to work hard to earn back trust.
On the field, it's clear the 28-year-old quarterback has done that. He has hobbled around on an injured foot, toughed out a broken nose and led the Steelers to the AFC Championship Game, which will be played Sunday night at Heinz Field against the New York Jets.
Off the field, Roethlisberger has spent the past nine months lying low. He's rumored to be engaged, a claim his camp will not confirm, and no longer travels with bodyguards or entourages. He eschews the bar scene, which has been the root of just about every one of his problems.
Has he changed? On the north side of Pittsburgh, the jury's still out. Mark Baranowski is watching Roethlisberger's progress with skepticism and hope. Baranowski is known as sort of the Norma Rae of bar owners in Pittsburgh, the man who stood up to Roethlisberger a few years back when the quarterback, according to Baranowski, showed up at his Cabana Bar and acted immature and entitled, and refused to pay a $5 cover charge.
It wasn't about five bucks, Baranowski says. It was about being a Pittsburgher.
"The town was really fed up with him," Baranowski said. "They were really down on him, and there were a lot of people who just didn't want him to be our quarterback.
"But it seems like he's trying to turn it around. I haven't heard one bad story. I hope he keeps it up. He's got everything going for him. He's big and strong and tough, and people just idolize him. I mean, he could own this city."

'He's worked at it'

Eventually, they'll forget. If No. 7 leads the Steelers to their seventh Super Bowl title, the anger will subside and Roethlisberger's misdeeds will ultimately be a distant memory.
"The thing about life is that if you're a winner, people will forgive a little bit easier," said Jim Coen, the owner of Yinzers, a popular novelty store in the Strip District. "As long as you're heading in the right direction and not doing anything stupid, the city will forgive."
It was Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and the Strip was bustling with lunchtime shoppers buying black-and-gold gear. Nine months ago, when the Big Ben news hit the fan, Yinzers marked down Roethlisberger jerseys to $10. But now they're back at full price and selling at a steady clip.
Sixty-four thousand fans screamed for him Saturday night, after the Steelers' 31-24 win against Baltimore, and he lingered on the field to take it all in. Trust, in late-game situations, was never an issue with Roethlisberger. He plays on the edge, without fear, and is one of the most clutch quarterbacks in the league. Saturday night was no exception. The Steelers were down by two touchdowns to start the third quarter. Roethlisberger couldn't be rattled.
On third-and-19, late in the game, he uncorked a 58-yard pass to rookie receiver Antonio Brown. It set up the winning touchdown and put the Steelers in their fourth conference championship game in Roethlisberger's seven years with the franchise.
"I'm very pleased," team owner Dan Rooney said as he made the rounds in the locker room late Saturday. "He's worked at it. He's doing what he has to do on the field and off."
Roethlisberger won't say it -- he has declined interview requests for stories that focus on him -- but it's clear that the whispers of his demise in Pittsburgh motivated him. He came to training camp slimmer and in possibly the best shape he's been in his career. He seemed to approach every game as a proving ground.
Roethlisberger was required to go through offseason counseling for what commissioner Roger Goodell called a "pattern of behavior" that damaged the integrity of the game. A year before the allegations of sexual assault in Milledgeville, Ga., a woman in Lake Tahoe filed a lawsuit claiming Roethlisberger sexually assaulted her at a hotel-casino in 2008.
People close to Roethlisberger call the Georgia incident an intense reality check. He knew, then, that he had to make changes. So he surrounded himself with a group of advisers, a team that included Art Rooney, Bill Cowher and former Pittsburgh running back Merril Hoge, now an NFL analyst for ESPN.
"He's human," said Roethlisberger's agent, Ryan Tollner. "He reached the point where he said to me, 'I'm OK if I never play another down of football so long as people perceive me to be a good person.'"
Maybe, Coen says, Roethlisberger underestimated Pittsburgh. It's true that the city measures success with playoff victories and Super Bowls. But it's about more than that.
People rarely leave here. Men hold doors open for women and check on their neighbors. People, Coen says, are nice to each other. They love their Steelers, worship them, and are heartsick if their quarterback isn't someone they can like. It should be noted that the most popular Steeler is Troy Polamalu, a game-changing safety who frequents a local children's hospital each week and gives his phone number to sick kids.
"The fans of Pittsburgh, they feel like the team is part of their family," Coen said. "When you walk down the street, someone looks you in the eye and says hello to you. That's the way this city is."

'He kind of had an arrogance to him'

The first time Willie Colon met Roethlisberger, they didn't really hit it off. Colon was a rookie offensive lineman in 2006, drafted to move mountains. Roethlisberger was a 24-year-old with a Super Bowl trophy, a truckload of endorsements and a bit of an attitude.
"He kind of had an arrogance to him," Colon said. "I'm a Bronx New York kid. We don't get star-struck. I wasn't impressed. I wasn't sold on the whole Big Ben thing."
But when Colon spent some time with him, he realized how much they were alike. How they were both from small colleges, both intensely competitive (they competed over who had the longest toenails) and both tied closely to their families. How their personalities were so alike that they had become good friends.
Colon was there that night in Milledgeville. He says the incident changed Roethlisberger's life.
"It's weird and maybe awkward to say this," Colon said, "but everything that happened was a blessing in disguise. He saw the kind of person he was, and he was able to change his ways.
"I think, flat out, he's a better person now."
Roethlisberger is an intensely private person, and he has been known to irk fans by refusing to sign autographs in restaurants and bars. According to several bar owners around Pittsburgh, he has, on occasion, walked into an establishment, flanked by bodyguards, and retreated to a private room without conversing with patrons.
Some of his teammates saw a similar detachment. At times, he came across as aloof or uninterested in them.
"I'd be a liar if I said he was open and forthcoming to everybody in the locker room before this," Colon said. "He wasn't. But nevertheless, he's changed his ways. He talks to everybody now. He's more open; he's more vocal. He gets it. He's becoming a great leader."

'It takes time to earn that trust back'

Just before 2 p.m. Monday, the late lunch crowd filtered out of Primanti Bros., a local dining institution. The restaurant takes cash only; the walls are painted with the faces of Pittsburgh's biggest legends.
Jerome Bettis graces the back wall, with a bus painted beside him. Hines Ward is there, too. Roethlisberger's giant mug is bigger than the rest of them. It's covered with graffiti scribbled in black marker.
"It takes time to earn that trust back," said a middle-aged woman named Karen who was walking nearby with her sister Monday afternoon. "He did some stupid stuff, and hopefully he can go forward from that and focus on what he is, a quarterback."
Tollner says his client has an amazing ability to compartmentalize and block out distractions, but that doesn't mean he's oblivious to what people think about him. Although various PR consultants suggested that he pour his heart out in 20-minute national TV increments this past summer, Roethlisberger decided that wouldn't be sincere.
He wanted to prove himself through his actions. He's just an average guy, Tollner says. He cuts his own grass, scoops snow out of his own driveway and shops for his own groceries. Maybe he didn't realize it at first: the importance of every interaction, his significance in the city. Roethlisberger gets it now, his agent says.
With his bar-hopping days apparently behind him, Roethlisberger retreats to his parents' home in his down time. They moved last year from their house in Ohio to a ranch just outside Pittsburgh, and Ben spends a lot of his time outdoors with his dad, Ken.
Roethlisberger was raised in a fairly strict, religious environment, people close to him say, and has turned back to those roots.
"I think his main focus was getting a better connection with the Lord and getting a better connection with his own family," Colon said.
"One part of his life right now is sitting at home, relaxing with his family. He watches TV and lets his body rest. You see the transition. I love the guy to death. Sometimes, in the past, he didn't let the outside world get to know him because he didn't trust them. He didn't feel comfortable with his world outside. But now you can tell he's open and he's willing."

'He was very gracious'

The call came in late May, at the start of Roethlisberger's season of discontent. And Scott Challis was surprised. In the couple of years since his son's death, The John Challis Courage for Life Foundation has held a charity golf event in memory of John. Celebrities are encouraged to come.
The phone rang one day in Freedom, Pa., and Roethlisberger was on the other end. At the time, he was one of the most vilified athletes in Pittsburgh. But he came to the event, played 18 holes, smiled for pictures and signed autographs.
Roethlisberger met John Challis years ago, when cancer was draining the life from the teenager's frail body. They watched a hockey game together, sat in Mario Lemieux's suite.
John, a high school baseball player who had the maturity of a 40-year-old, was considered an old soul. He connected with the quarterback many in Pittsburgh wished would grow up. They spent time together one summer during the Steelers' training camp, riding around on a golf cart. At one point in their interactions, John and Roethlisberger joked around about the quarterback's motorcycle accident. Then John turned serious.
He reminded Roethlisberger that everything can be taken away from you at any time.
"Maybe Ben remembered that," Scott Challis said. "I don't know.
"Do I think he was doing it for the PR? I don't think so. There were no TV cameras there. He wasn't proving anything to anybody. He was just trying to be respectful of my son. He was very gracious. And that made us feel good."



Lil Wayne Disses LeBron
Rapper Lil’ Wayne is one of the handful of those lucky Americans who can afford courtside NBA seats — thank you very much “Lollipop.”

But when you’re paying for those seats, say to see the Miami Heat take on the New Orleans Hornets, you expect a little respect. Especially when everyone else was smacking LeBron around and Wayne stood up for the man and his moves.

Lil’ Wayne will not be ignored.

“Them n—s never speak to a n—-,” he says. “They don’t chuck me the deuce or nothing. N—- spent all that money on them f—– tickets … Come holla at me. We sit right by them little bitch-ass n—-. At least come ask me why I’m not rooting for you.”

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

List of 2011 Underclassman Turning Pro - #1 Buckeyes Destroy Iowa

Early Entries: 2011 NFL Draft
College football underclassmen who have elected to turn pro early
Name School Position Year
Darvin Adams Auburn WR Jr.
Marvin Austin North Carolina DT Jr.
Akeem Ayers UCLA LB Jr.
Jon Baldwin Pitt WR Jr.
Da'Quan Bowers Clemson DE Jr.
DeAndre Brown Southern Miss WR Jr.
Brandon Burton Utah CB Jr.
Jurrell Casey USC DT Jr.
John Clay Wisconsin RB Jr.
Nick Claytor Georgia Tech OT Jr.
Randall Cobb Kentucky AP Jr.
Marcell Dareus Alabama DE Jr.
Tandon Doss Indiana WR Jr.
Darren Evans Virginia Tech RB Jr.
Nick Fairley Auburn DT Jr.
Blaine Gabbert Missouri QB Jr.
A.J. Green Georgia WR Jr.
Tori Gurley South Carolina WR So.
Lawrence Guy Arizona State DT Jr.
Jamel Hamler Fresno State WR Jr.
Jamie Harper Clemson RB Jr.
Brandon Harris Miami CB Jr.
Will Hill Florida S Jr.
Justin Houston Georgia LB Jr.
Henry Hynoski Pitt FB Jr.
Mark Ingram Alabama RB Jr.
Julio Jones Alabama WR Jr.
Thomas Keiser Stanford LB Jr.
Mikel Leshoure Illinois RB Jr.
Dion Lewis Pitt RB So.
Javes Lewis Oregon DB Jr.
Greg Little North Carolina WR Jr.
Corey Liuget Illinois DT Jr.
Ryan Mallett Arkansas QB Jr.
Rahim Moore UCLA S Jr.
Cam Newton Auburn QB Jr.
Zane Parr Virginia DE Jr.
Patrick Peterson LSU CB Jr.
Robert Quinn North Carolina DE Jr.
Stevan Ridley LSU RB Jr.
Jacquizz Rodgers Oregon State RB Jr.
Kyle Rudolph Notre Dame TE Jr.
Robert Sands West Virginia S Jr.
Tyler Sash Iowa S Jr.
Sealver Siliga Utah DT Jr.
Aldon Smith Missouri DE So.
Torrey Smith Maryland WR/KR Jr.
Tyron Smith USC OT Jr.
Jerrard Tarrant Georgia Tech DB Jr.
Jordan Todman Connecticut RB Jr.
Shane Vereen Cal RB Jr.
J.J. Watt Wisconsin DE Jr.
Muhammad Wilkerson Temple DT Jr.
Aaron Williams Texas CB Jr.
Ryan Williams Virginia Tech RB So.
Martez Wilson Illinois LB Jr.



56 Underclassman Leave Early for NFL Draft

NEW YORK (AP) -- Cam Newton and Nick Fairley of national champion Auburn are among 56 non-seniors who applied for April's NFL draft - a record total, but only three more players than left college early a year ago.
Complete list of early entries
The uncertainty surrounding the league's labor situation does not appear to have had a significant effect on underclassmen opting to declare for the draft. The NFL released the names on Wednesday, and it's the fifth time in the past seven years that more than 50 players were granted what the league calls "special eligibility."
There were 53 players in 2010 and 2008, the previous high; 52 in 2006; 51 in 2005.
Newton, a quarterback, and Fairley, a defensive tackle, are joined by three other All-American juniors heading to the draft: Kentucky receiver-returner Randall Cobb, Clemson defensive end Da'Quan Bowers and LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson.
There weren't any surprising additions to the list - or omissions. Most underclassmen who were deciding whether to enter the draft had made their choices public by Saturday's deadline to tell the NFL they wanted to leave school early. Players then had 72 hours to withdraw their names, but no significant players changed their minds.
One top underclassman not on the list: Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, who had said he would be returning to school. His father, former NFL quarterback and current West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck, said they discussed the possible lockout in the league but that wasn't a decisive factor in Andrew's choice.
The draft is April 28-30, even if there is no new collective bargaining agreement to replace the one that expires in early March. If owners lock out the players - as the union expects - rookies wouldn't be able to sign contracts until a new CBA is in place.
Among the factors underclassmen might have considered:
- It's possible there won't be a 2011 NFL season at all, so players leaving college could wind up sitting out an entire year.
- Even if an agreement is reached in time for next season to be played, the timing of a deal might result in shortened training camps or no minicamps, so a rookie would have less time to learn his new team's system and prove he deserves to start - or, in some cases, even make the roster.
- Owners are intent on having a rookie wage scale be part of a new CBA. Commissioner Roger Goodell wrote about "the outrageous sums paid to many unproven rookies" in a recent letter sent to fans about the labor situation, and such a change could apply to the 2011 draft class.
- Entering the pros sooner starts a player's NFL "clock" sooner, moving him closer to his second contract and free agency, which could be particularly attractive if a rookie wage scale is created.
Still, in a telephone interview before last weekend's deadline, agent Peter Schaffer said he didn't think a potential lockout was affecting decisions.
"I really don't believe the uncertainty of the labor situation is skewing decisions one way or another in any significant proportion," Schaffer said. "It's pretty much been business as usual."




OSU Whips Iowa

Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- It wasn't Ohio State coach Thad Matta's idea to drill his players on defense this week.
It was theirs.

David Lighty scored 18 points and Ohio State wasn't tested in its first game as No. 1, rolling over Iowa 70-48 on Wednesday night.

Fast Facts
•Ohio State beat Iowa for the sixth straight time.

•The Buckeyes are 19-0, the third-best start in school history.

•David Lighty became the third player in Ohio State history with at least 1,000 career points, 500 career rebounds and 300 career assists in this game, joining Evan Turner and Jim Jackson.

•Iowa is 0-10 this season when allowing at least 70 points.


"It was funny, in the film session on Monday they kind of said, 'Hey, looking at the scores we've given up, we can play better [defensively] than this,' " Matta said. "So I told them before the game, 'You're the ones who said that, now we've got to go out and back it up.' I thought they did that."
The Buckeyes (19-0, 6-0 Big Ten) improved to 60-4 when ranked first in The Associated Press poll.
Shaky at times on offense, they set the tone and tenor with their defense right out of the box.
"They got us off to a slow start," Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said. "You go on the road, you play a team of this caliber, you need to get off to a good start offensively. You need some buckets, you need to settle down, you need to get some type of flow. We never had a flow. Every basket we got in the first half was a struggle."
Up 40-23 at halftime, the Buckeyes reeled off seven of the first nine points of the second half to push the lead to 22. The outcome wasn't in doubt the rest of the way.
William Buford had 15 points and Jared Sullinger added 13 for the Buckeyes, topping the polls for the first time since the final three weeks of the 2006-07 regular season. That season's team went to the national championship game, losing to defending champion Florida and finishing with a 35-4 record.
Lighty said nothing changed for the Buckeyes by moving up a spot in the rankings to replace Duke, which had been on top all season.
"From our point of view, nothing was really different at all," he said. "We approached the game the same way, practiced the same way -- just worrying about us and getting better."
Four players had four assists apiece for the Buckeyes. Aaron Craft set an Ohio State freshman record with seven steals, tying for the second-most ever at the school behind Troy Taylor's eight against Saint Joseph's in 1983.
"That's a team stat," he said. "Everyone's in the gaps and putting pressure on the ball. I appreciate that I just happened to get that stat tonight."
The Buckeyes are off to the third-best start in the school's 112 seasons, behind only the 1960-61 team (27-0), and the 1961-62 team (22-0). Both of those teams also went to the NCAA title game, losing to Cincinnati.
The Buckeyes did have a season-high 20 turnovers, hardly the way to tune up for a big test on Saturday at Illinois (No. 22 ESPN/USA Today, No. T-23 AP) .
That's an area that will require work. In the coming weeks, any problem area will be revealed. Seven of Ohio State's next nine opponents are ranked this week.
"You can only play one team at one time," Lighty said. "Whoever's next, that's who we have to worry about. It's going to be tough on the road, wherever you play, especially in the Big Ten. So we have to have our minds right."
Andrew Brommer had 12 points, Melsahn Basabe 11 and Bryce Cartwright added 10 for Iowa (7-11, 0-6), playing a ranked team for the fifth time in its past six games.
The Hawkeyes fell to 2-19 against teams ranked No. 1.
Just 15 days ago, Iowa gave the Buckeyes all they could handle before falling 73-68 in Iowa City. Not this time.
"The defense made a big difference for us obviously, because we didn't give them as many easy baskets as we did up there," Matta said. "We allowed them to gain some momentum on us a couple of weeks ago. In the game tonight, we set the tone of, 'Hey, we're here to defend tonight.' And that was a big thing going into the game."
Dallas Lauderdale, a starter with diminishing minutes, set the tone early for the Buckeyes. He had seven points -- he came in averaging 4.5 -- in the opening 5:37 as Ohio State opened a 12-4 lead.
After that, the Buckeyes got going in transition. Buford, who had 11 points in the first half, and Lighty, who added eight, hurried the ball down the court or whipped it around the perimeter for easy baskets.
"When you look at their shooting percentages in the first half, 54 [from the field] and 46 [on 3s], it's hard to win against a team like this," McCaffery said. "Obviously, it's not the only time they've done this. They've got really good shooters and a great low-post game."